MADURAI
Members of Madurai District Farmers Association (Non-political) staged a protest here on Wednesday in support of the Tamil Nadu farmers who have been protesting in New Delhi, pressing for a charter of demands, including expeditious setting up of Cauvery Management Board.
The protest, led by A. Jeyasingh Gnanadurai, former Joint Director for Agriculture and a progressive farmer, wanted the State Assembly to pass a resolution against extraction of hydrocarbon at Neduvasal in Pudukottai district.
“It was only after the Centre’s assurance that no extraction of hydrocarbon would happen at Neduvasal that farmers and youths gave up their prolonged protest. But, now the Centre has gone back on its promise and given licence for extraction of hydrocarbon,” Mr. Gnanadurai said.
Recalling that the Centre had acted against the interests of delta farmers by refusing to set up Cauvery Management Board as per the Supreme Court’s recommendation, he asked why should the people of Tamil Nadu allow the Centre to extract hydrocarbon.
The present form of Crop Insurance Scheme did not benefit the farmers in letter and spirit, he said, adding all those farmers who had faced crop loss due to successive droughts and paid premium for crop insurance should be compensated.
The association members wanted the Central and State governments to provide drought relief at the rate of ₹ 20,000 per acre and waive crop loans extended by cooperative banks as well as nationalised banks.
The State government should immediately ban smuggling of sand to neighbouring States like Kerla and Karnataka.
Among their other demands were banning of exploitation of Tamirabarani river water by multinational soft drink companies, construction of check dams across the rivers in the State, desilting of major dams and immediate distribution of outstanding amounts due to sugarcane farmers.
Progressive farmers Alathur Govindan, A. Alaguservai and K. Thanikodi were among the protesters.
